Young Children and the Rural Information Gap: The Weaknesses of Major Data Sources for Examining the Well-being of Rural Children

N

60

Confidentiality; Young Children; Rural Areas; Well Being; Social Indicators; Measures (Individuals); Statistical Data

The devolution of increasing amounts of responsibility for the design and implementation of child and family policy has increased demand for measures of child well-being at lower levels of geography. Currently, however, it is unclear the extent to which commonly used measures of well-being can be estimated for children living in rural areas. To investigate this issue, the authors examined a number of large, national data sets that provide source data for well-being indicators. We find that data confidentiality protocols and small sample sizes limit the extent to which child well-being indicators can be estimated for rural children. While public-use data can be used to estimate many indicators of child well-being using the imprecise "nonmetropolitan" definition of rural, few indicators can be estimated when rural is defined more precisely (areas with populations of less than 2,500 residents). Gaining access to non-public-use data increases the number of indicators that can be estimated with the more precise definition of rural, but at substantial monetary and administrative costs. The authors conclude this discussion with suggestions for next steps to promote analysis and dissemination of child well-being indicators for rural young children. [Report prepared for the National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives.]

Author

6

2005

ED486291